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Police reduce commitment to neighbourhood policing

Sign the petition to express your concern

By Peter Crowhurst, North Laine resident

Police Commissioner announces cuts to community policing

Katy Bourne, Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner, has confirmed there will be 700 fewer police officers delivering local policing over the next 5 years, and a further 300 posts elsewhere in the force will go. In particular, Sussex will lose more Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). 58 (out of 347) have already left and there are another 69 to go. The police often don't have the time to attend Local Action Team (LAT) meetings and accountability to local communities is being lost. A significant change in policy is being implemented without consultation and against the clear wishes and needs of local citizens.

The regular police presence at NLCA meetings to end

The North Laine Community Association operates as a Local Action Team as well as a community association. It has traditionally worked with the police and the local authority to decide on ways of tackling issues that come within their remit. The NLCA periodically sets local priorities for the police or the Council to work on with the community. Those priorities are always on the agenda of every NLCA meeting and residents can voice their concerns and ask for a response from the police or from our local councillor who attends NLCA meetings.

As a result of the police cuts announced by the Police Commissioner, there will be a very limited police presence at NLCA meetings. In fact there has not been a regular police presence at NLCA meetings this year. Other LATs have already been told that they can expect no further police attendance at their meetings.

The importance of PCSO attendance at NLCA meetings

The attendance of a PCSO at NLCA meetings has provided an important link with the local community, which has been to the benefit of both the police and local residents. If the Police Commissioner has decided to withdraw the police from participation in Local Action Teams, then the viability of LATs has to be questioned.

Our ward one of the worst in Brighton for crime and disorder

In the crime and disorder data for 2014-2015 produced by the police, the St Peter's and North Laine ward ranks the worst ward in Brighton and Hove for criminal damage and police recorded alcohol related incidents. For all other data (violence against the person, all injury violence, non-injury assault and sexual offences) it ranks second. The data has not been audited or verified by police statisticians but gives a reflection of crime and disorder in the area.

Sign a petition to express your support for neighbourhood policing

If you would like to express support for ‘Neighbourhood Policing’ and to oppose decisions by the Police and Crime Commissioner, together with senior officers of the Sussex Police, to reduce the number of police officers, then you can do so by signing a petition on the Council's website.